Rod-grinding machine



April 7, 1925. 1,532,490

J. A. HUNT ROD GRINDI NF: MACHINE Original Filed Aug. 1'7, 1920 2Sheets-Sheet l Inventor Jonaihanfl. Hunt,

- v mzzz- April 7, 1925.

J. A. HUNT ROD GRINDING MACHINE www m ma

m e n .m mmmm Ori Patentedrhpr. 7, 1925.

nnrreo srArs,

JONfiTI-IAN A. HUNT, 0E" SALEM, lviASSA'CEIUfiIETTS, ASSFIGNGR TOFREDERICK L.

EM'EBY', 01 LELINGTON, MASSACHUSETTS- BOD-GRINDING MACHINE.

Application filed August 17, 192.0, Serial No. 404,112. Renewed February9, 1 92-3 Torr whom it may concern Be it known that I, JONATHAN A. HUNT,a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Salem, in the countyof Essex and State or". viassac'huse-tts, ha e invented in; Improvementin Rod-Grinding Machines, of which the following description, inconnection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, likecharacters on the drawings representing like parts.

lhis invention relates to machines for pointing wires or rods and anobject is to provide means, for feeding said wires or rods from a massto-the forming member in a singlelayer and inclose formation withouttwisting or tangling. A further object, of the invention is toprovide means for removing the rods that have been ground or sharpenedand for conveyingitjhe same to predetermined points such, for example,as to other machines such as finishing ma chines. r

The invention consists in the combination and arrangement of parts setforth in the following specification and particularly pointed, out inthe claims. p

In the accompanying drawings wherein is shown merely for purposes ofil-ln t-rati-on one embodiment or" the. invention;-

Fig. 1 is a front eleuationof the machine; Fig. 2 is a plan View of thework-separating and feeding means, portions of the forming member herein.a grinding wheel being shown in dotted lines while otl-ier parts suchas the mechanism for snppo-nung and driving the feed rolls are removedto nore clearly illustrate the rod; separating; and feeding instruments;Fig. 3 is a vertical section ta z'ennon the line 3-3 of Fig. 2; i

Fig. 4 is a vertical section tl'rr-ough one end of the finger supportingand raising.

means, this section being taken on the line il- 1 of Fig. 3';

Fig. 5 is a transverse section of the feed wheel di'ving clutch taken onthe line 5-5 of Fig; 2; and

Fig. 6 is a Vertical detail section of the "iner end of one of the guidefingers showthe detents or rod retardingrneans carried taercby.

In the drawings a frame is shown for supporting the various mechanismsofthe machine. This frame preferably includes i'rzmt and back members 1and 2 and side members 3 suitably secured together. Mounted with n saidframe is a casing or housing 4 adapted to. contain. the workformingmember heroin an abrasive grind-- ing wheel 5, the latter being securedtoan arbor 6 jonrnalled in bearing blocks 7, T at opposite sides of thegrinder housing 4-. The grinding wheel 5 is. provided with a concavegrinding face 8 of well known form.

It: is desirable that the-grindingwheel be adjustable in; order tocompensate for the wearing; down thereof and this adjustment ispreferably such as to, efiect the movement of the axis of the wheellaterally or in a direction substantially at right angles to said axis.Any appropriate means may be employed for producing this result such,for example, as screws .9, herein two, pivot-ally connected at theirupper ends as at 10 be tween the lugs 11 formed upon said housing.

The screws 9- are guided-in lugs 12 formed upon the side members of theframe and vertical movement is imparted. to each of said screws herebyby nuts 18 constituting bevelled pinions andadapted to rotate upon thelugs Each of the nuts-or pinions 13 is arranged to. mesh with a benelledgear 14: attached to a coimter-shaft 1'5 and journalled to rotate insuitable bearings or lugsv 16 projecting from the side frames Secured tothe opposite ends of the counter- 1 shaft is a second bevel-led gear 17in turn meshing'with the driving gear 18 attached to a common operatingshaft 19., the latter ar'anged in bearings 20 in the side frames 8. Anoperating wheel 21 is attached to.

said shaft- 19 whereby a rotary motion may beimparted thereto by theoperator.

Means such as set screws 22 are provided for, securely holding thehousing or casing in its adjusted position.

Lateral movement of the housing 4 in the direction of the axis of thegrinder during the raising and lowering thereof may be, and herein isregulated by suitable guide screws 25 -mounted in; the frames 1v and 2and arranged to engage the ,faces'of ribs 26 formed upon said housing.

Any suitable driving means may be provided for the grinder 4 and hereinfor this purpose I-have shown in dot-ted lines a pal ley 27 attached tothe, arbor 6 which pulley receives, its power from any appropriatesource not shown.

Cir

The housing 4 for the grinder surrounds the greater portion of theperiphery thereof so as to catch the grinding dust discharged from saidgrinder and in the present example a pipe is shown having telescopicconnection as at 31 with the bottom or lower portion of the housing soas to allow for raising and lowering thereof and this pipe is adapted toremove from the housing or casing all dust accumulated therein.

In machines of the? character described, the work'is fedtransversely ofthe face of the grinding wheel or work-forming member and preferably insubstantially tangential relation thereto but at an angle to the axis ofthe grinder, the grinding operation being initiated at the end of thework at a point in the circumference in advance of the point of contactof the tangent with its circle, the end of the work being moved, duringthe feeding operation, at an angle to but toward a radial plane passingthrough said point of contact. As the work, herein rods or wires, isadvanced transversely of the grinding face of the wheel, its ends willgradually assume the form of a point by reason of its gradual approachto said plane.

It is obviously within the scope and pur pose of the invention to formeither a chisel or a round point upon the ends of the rods but in thepresent example means for effecting the rounding of the points areshown, said means preferably including a plurality of saddles 32 andcooperating feed wheels 33. The saddles 32 have concave and hereinresilient guiding surfaces 34 which coincide with the concave face ofthe grinding wheel. The cooperating faces of feed wheels are likewiseprovided with resilient coverings 35 and these conform with the faces 34of the saddles.

It is desirable, at times to vary the angle of approach of the rods orwork with respect to the grinding surface of the member 5 so that thetaper or angle of the finished point may be long or short and in thepresent example this adjustment is provided for by mounting the saddles32 and their cooperating feed wheels upon a suitable work table 36 towhich lateral, longitudinal or transverse movement may be imparted tovary its relation to the work member as will hereinafter be described.

The table 36 has an opening 37 through which the housing and grindingwheel are adapted to protrude in order that the Work carried by saidtable or saddles may be brought into contact with the grinding face ofsaid. wheel. The work table 36 is inclined at an agle to a horizontalplane in- (lining downwardly toward the left in Fig. 1 and said table ispreferably mounted so that this angle may be varied from time to time asneed requires. The saddles 32 are mounted upon the table 36 within theopen mg 37 (see Fig. and in such a manner that they may be adjustedlongitudinally of said opening or of said table, or said saddles may berocked slightly to cause the guiding surfaces thereof to more perfectlyfit or conform to the coacting surfaces of the feed Wl168lS'33.Appropriate means are pro vided for effecting the adjustment of saidsaddles longitudinally of the table, said means herein consisting of ake 38 which key is arranged to slide with said saddle and in a groove 39extending longitudinally of the table 36 and substantially parallel withthe opening 37. The key 38 may be attached in any appropriate manner tosaid saddle but as shown it extends through a groove 40 formed in saidsaddle. An adjusting screw 41 is secured at each side of the saddle inlugs 42 projecting laterally from opposite faces thereof, said screws 41being adjacent to the key 38 and arranged to engage the upper surface ofthe table 36 with which they are held in contact by screws 43, thelatter being mounted in said lugs 42 and having screw-threadedengagement with said table 36.

By adjusting the positions of the screws 41 in said lugs in conjunctionwith the screws 43, the end of the saddle or saddles containing saidscrews may be slightly raised or lowered and finally secured in theiradjusted positions by said screws 43. The opposite ends of the saddlesare also adjustably arranged with respect to the upper surface of thetable 36 herein by screws 44 mounted in screw-threaded engagement withlateral lugs 45 on said saddles, said screws resting against the upperface of the table 36. If desired the screws 44 may be maintained incontact with the table by screws 46 which are arranged to extend throughsaid lugs 45 and into screw-threaded engagement with said table. By themeans described the cooperating surfaces of the saddles and their feedwheels may be adjusted so as to secure the most effectual relation.

It is desirable to provide for the adjustment of the saddleslongitudinally of the table 36, the saddle nearest to the grinding wheelbeing adjustable to compensate for the reduction in diameter of saidwheel due to wearing down thereof while the other saddle is madeadjustable to accommodate rods of varying lengths. There are occasionswhen the adjustment particularly of the saddles nearest to the grindingwheel should be very fine and gradual. Therefore appropriate means foreffecting such an adjustment are provided, the present example includingan adjusting screw 46 (see Fig. 1) arranged in screw-threaded engagementwith a bracket 47 and with its inner end engaging the edge of the plate48 on which assailed rests the left orlowermost end of the table 36. Thehrs 7 has ears i9 through which pay-es shat, 51, the latter beingsupported in suitable bearings such as on the frame 3. The shaft 51 isprovided with cams; or eccentrics, 5% arranged to engage the plate l8and an operating lever 55 is attached to one end of said shaft wherebysaid shaft may be rotated when it is desired to. raise the end of saidwork table and remove the ends of the rods that are being pointed fromthe grinding wheel.

'W hen a more extensive movement of the saddles than is possible withthe screw 4-6 is required the screws 43 and 476 may be removed and thesaddle and its: key 38 v, d along the groove 39 and the screws and asinserted in otherholes provided in the top of the work table for thispurpose.

The right hand end of the table 36, as viewed in F 1, is also adjustableverti-. eally herein by means of screw-threaded rods 56 pivotallyattached at 5/7 to the under side of said table, the lower ends ofsaidscrews engaging the plates. 58 wherein they are held in theiradjusted position by check nuts 59 (see Fig 1). The plates 58. are alsoslotted at 63 to receive the screws (32 thus allowing a limitedadjustment of the plates without necessitating the move.

ment of the screws to other holes.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that universal adjustmentof thetable 36 is possible.

In machines of the type shown consid erable diliienlty has beenexperienced in feeding rods to the grinding wheel by reason of thefact-that rods oi considerable length become twisted about each otherand clog the feeding devices for the machine but in the present machinethis has. been overcome by providing a plurality ot sets of feedi'z'ieinlers each including a saddle and feeding wheeland arranged tohave independent adjustment lon gitudinally ot' the work table, aspreviously described so that the Y may en 'a 'e the rods 7 v t) b atsuch points as to prevent any twisting or entangling of the rods.

The feed wheels 33 as well as the saddles are independently adjustable,they being mounted upon a shaft G l journalled to rotate in suitablebearings such as boxes 65 verticallyadjustable in slotted standards orbrackets 66, the latter being carried by the table 36. 'lhe wheels 33are keyed: to said shaft but are capable of Jmovement longitudinallythereof. The shaftfltid receives its motion from any suitable sourcethrough a counter-shaft 68, the latter having a pulley 71 securedthereto and driven by a $2 the latter being arranged so that upon theslight upward tilt oi. the

table 36 by means of the cams- 54, said belt will be sl-ael'rened so toprevent furthermovement of the shaft; 51 thus stop ping' the feed of therods to, the grindingwheel Means are herein shown for adjustingthe feedwheels 33 toward or away from the grinding sur -faces of the saddles 32espe-V cially when rods large or small diameter are to be ted andobviously it is desirable that the two or plurality of iced wheels begiven simultaneous and equal movements so that thesaine amount oipressure will always be brought to bear upon all portions of the rods,thus insuring equal feeding movement of the ends of the rods. Forthis-purpose means are "provided comprising screws 73 shown in dottedlines in Fig. 1, one being rotatable in each of the standards 66. andhaving screw-threaded engagement with the boxes 65, The screws areprovided with bevelled gears '24 to mesh with bevelled gears 75 last toa common driving shaft T6 arranged to rotate in bearings in saidstandards. A hand wheel Y? is attached to said shaft and serves as meansfor manually operating the shaft to raise and lower said boxes- It isdesirable that the rods be fed by the. feed wheels in a single layertransversely of the face of the grinding wheel in order that each rodShall receive the same amount of grinding and that the grinding beuniform all around so as to. bring the point exactly at the center ofthe red. It is also desirable that the machine be automatic, that isthat the rods be fed orseparated from a mass and delivered to thefeeding means in a single layer. Therefore in the present example, meansare provided for containing a mass of rods, said means consisting of achute-like member 78 mounted upon the table 36 and including sidemembers wand 80 and a bottom 81. The bottom 81 is preferably pivotedbetween the side members 7 9 and 80 atv 82 (see Fig. 3) and-means areprovided as at 83 for securing said bottom in predetermined positions.The bottom 81 is arranged substantially pzzrallel with the table 36, andthe rods in the mass are placed upon said bottom and by reason of theinclination thereof clownward toward the grinding wheel,- said rods willhave a tendency to slide toward the lower end of said container and evensaid ends preparatory to being advanced to the grinder. The bottom 81also inclines down war-dly. from the receiving end of the containertoward the grinding wheel as shown most. clear-lyin F g 3 and adjacentto th inner or lower side of the said bottom are rod separating members8%, in the present and 88 journalled to rotate in the side members 79and 80. These shafts are arranged substantially parallel and one abovethe other, the lower shaft 87 being positioned adjacent to and parallelwith the axis of the pivot 82 of the bottom of said container so thatteeth 89 formed upon the endless conveyors or chains, as they moveupwardly will pass close to the pivoted side of said bottom and as saidbottom is inclined downwardly toward said conveyor, said rods will havetendency to crowd against the chains and be picked up by the teeththereof, said teeth herein being of a length at the most no greater thanthe diameter of the rods composing the mass. The upper shaft 88 isplaced somewhat nearer the grinding wheel than is the shaft 87 and theuppermost points in the peripheries of the chains which pass over thesprockets mounted upon said shaft 88, are about on a level with theforward or receiving end of the saddle 32. Hence the runs of theconveyors which extend from sprocket to sprocket and particularly theupwardly moving runs will be slightly inclined from the container towardthe grinding wheel so as to prevent the rods which are picked up by theteeth 89 of said chains from falling back into the container.

Any suitable form of chain may be employed for serving as the endlessconveyors or separating means and the number of teeth and spacing ofsaid teeth may be varied to suit the particular needs of the machine. Inthe present example the type of chain known as the silent chain isemployed and upon each of the links of this chain there are two teeth,said teeth being spaced far enough apart to take in approximately threerods. All of the links of the c0nveyor chain are duplicates and aresecured together so as to form a substantially continuous moving wall atthe back of the rod container, the teeth of said links formingsubstantially continuous ledges extending nearly the entire length ofthe container except at points where gaps in the series are provided forpurposes hereinafter explained. The working runs of the chain travelupwardly as indicated by the arrow (4, Fig. 3 and as they pick up therods from the mass shown at Z), said rods will be elevated to a pointsubstantially on the level of the forward or receiving end of thesaddles 82. tween the highest point of delivery of the conveyor and thereceiving end of the saddles, which gap is herein spanned by a guideplate 90 which, at its inner end, extends to a point 90 flush with thereceiving end of the guide surface of the saddle 32 and at its forwardend said plate is recessed at 91 to receive the conveyor chain. Therecessing of said plate forms stripping There is, however, a gapbelingers 92 which extend over the shaft 88 and into gaps 93 (seeFig. 1) formed at intervals in the conveyor members 84. The uppersurface of the plate 90 forms a tan gent with the supporting surface ofthe conveyor members. Hence the rods that are carried upwardly by saidconveyor members will be carried over the ends of the lingers 92 and beguided thereby onto the upper surface of said plate 90, said lingersstripping the said rods from the teeth of the conveyor chains andpreventing them from being carried down upon the back side of theconveyors and back to the mass by the teeth 89.

To prevent more than one layer of rods from being carried by the teethof said conveyor members to the plate 90, a wiper 94 is provided hereinconsisting of a strip of felt mounted upon a bar 95, said felt strip andsaid bar extending substantially the length of said rod mass container.The bar 95 is suspended by hangers 90 from a shaft 97 arranged to rockin bearings 98 in the sides 79 and 80 and a weighted arm 99 maintainssaid felt in yielding contact with the face of the conveyor members andthus wipes off superfluous rods as said rods approaeh the upper end ofthe conveyor members. It is equally desirable to prevent piling of therods as they are forced by the conveyor members along the top of theplate 90 to the feeding means including the wheel 33 and saddle 32, forwhich purpose I provide a row of fingers 100 preferably placed directlyabove the'fingers 92, and means are provided to space said fingers 100from the fingers 92 a distance substantially equal to the diameter ofthe rods that are being fed upon the upper face of said plate 90, saidmeans being such as to provide adjustment for the rods of variousdiameters and also to permit said fingers to be raised when said rodsbecome stuck for one reason or another in their passage from theconveyor members to the feed members. Obviously the same means employedfor raising the shaft 04 may be employed in this connection but themeans shown for accomplishing this purpose preferably include bars 101,102 arranged between the sides 7 9 and 80 and supported at theiropposite ends by brackets 108, 104 (see Figs. 4, 5 and 6). The brackets103, 104 have portions 105 which lie against the inner faces of themembers 79 and 80 to which the ends of the rods 101 and102 are attachedby screws 106 (see Fig. 6). Said brackets also have flanges 107 whichextend over the side members 79 and 80 and contain adjusting screws 108adjacent their opposite ends to engage the edges of the members 79 and80 and limit the downward movement of said brackets and .the partscarried thereby. A shaft 109 is journalled in said brackets and'carricsat its opposite ends eccentric cams engaging suitable eccentric straps111 attached to opposite sides of said rod mass container. An operatinglever 112 isattached toone end of'said shaft and serves as means wherebysaid shaft inay be rotated and through said eccentric and strap toeffect the raising and lowering ofthefingers 100;

Occasionally there is a tendency for one end of a rod to jump ahead ofthe other while passing from the conveyor member to the feed wheel 3;)thus causing said rods to enter between said feed wheel and the-saddleimproperly aligned. happening means are herein provided consisting ofdetents 113, one of which. is pivoted as at 11% toeach of the-upper -fingers 100: The inner ends, that is the ends of said det-ents nearestthefeedwheel 33 are heavier than the opposite ends and cause said detentto drop down against the rods that are being fed therebeneatlr and thusretard the movements of said rods. Stop pins 115 are provided to preventsaid detents from swinging downwardly too far when said fingers 100 areraised by the eccentric 110- away from the rods.

The present machine is adapted to-handie either long or short rods butwhen short rods 1 are being'separated from the mass (and by short rods Imean exceptionally short rods which are of approximately the length of asmall number, perhaps thrce'talking machine needles) it is desirablethat the fingers J2 and 100' be placed nearer together in order toprevent the short ends from dropping down and getting; caught duringthefeeding operation. For this reason the fingers near the left-hand end ofthe conveyor members, that is, the end containing the portions of therods that are to-be pointed, are placed quite close together. but beyondthis toward the right of said conveyor members the lingers may beandherein are more widely spaced. Furthermore during the s parating' andfeeding of extra long rods, very often such rods are bent or sprung butduring the separating and rolling process such bent portions are oftenstraightened and the rods thereby lengthened and to facilitate thisaction, certain of the fingers at the right-hand end of theconveyormemhcrs e. g. the last form are inclined slightly tov-"ard theright-hand side 50 of the container a will be seen-by referringto- Fig.-

Conserpiently as said rods are moved along said lingers this arrangementtends to stretch said rods toward the right totheir full extent.

Very oftenthe mass of rods that are-placed within the rod container donot align one with the other at the left-hand endthereof although theinclined bottom- 81 has a tendto force said rods against the lower id soeven up said ends but to insure the conveyor members.

To prevent this from the proper aligning or evening of said rods at saidleftend', guide member 116 is provided within said container against theside 76) thereof and this guide member has a portion 117 which inclinesslightly toward the right (see Fig. 4 and joins with astrai 'ht portion118 which latter serves as a guide for the ends of the rods to properlyposition them as they. approach and are picked up by which tend toproject beyond the required 'tance when first placed within thecontainer will be pushed bacli to'properly align with the mass. Themember 116 is also inclined downwardly towardthe left as will be seen byreferring to Fig. 1, and this inclinationhas a tendency to hold the endsof the rods of the mass downwardly as they areforced into the containerand against the conveyor members.

Various methods may be employed for operating the conveyor members butherein 1 preferably provide means operable from the shaft ea wherebysaidconveyor means will operate only when said shaft 6 1 operates,thereby preventing the piling up of work in front of the feed wheels 38should said feed wheels be stopped for any reason. in thepresent exampleI provide means for driving said conveyor mechanism including a frictionclutch 119 attached to one end of the shaft (34' and having manuallyoperable means 120 for throwing said clutch out of operation if, for anyreason, it is desired to stop feeding the rods to the feed wheels 33without discontinuing the movements of said feed wheels. The clutchherein shown is of well known form and needs no further description.This clutch is arranged to cooperate with a sprocket 121 normally looseupon the shaft 6-1, said sprocket being operatively connected by meansof a chain 122 with an idler sprocket shown in dotted lines in Fig.

In passing to said idler sprocket one run of said chain, preferably thelower run thereof, is arranged to engage the teeth of a sprocket gear123 attacl'ied to the end of the shaft 64, thus causing said shaft 6 1to be rotated in reverse direction to that of said feed wheels ltfiisoften desirable to convey the rods which have been pointed from thepresent machine to other machines or to certain points of distributionand in the present example It have provided means for taking care of therods as they are delivered by the rod feeding means 32" anl 33, saidmeans herein comprising a series of endless chains arranged upon theback or delivery side of thef'eeding means and extending over a sprocket126-secured to a shaft 127' which is also arranged to rotate insuitablebearings uponthe table 36; The chains are provided withteeth 128similar to the teeth Thus any rods 89 of the separating conveyor membersand these chains are spaced similarly to the fingers 92 and 100. A guideplate 129 is interposed between the receiving ends of the conveyors 125and the delivery end of the saddles 32 to convey the completed rods tothe teeth of said chains and said rods are maintained in singleformation against the surface of said guide plate by fingers 130supported in substantially the same manner as are the fingers 100hereinbefore described. The lingers 130, however, are superimposed overthe conveyors 125 which latter are arranged to travel over suitableguide plates 131 (see Figs. t and 5). a

As a convenient method of disposing of the dust and dirt which iscollected in the rod container from the rods that are handled thereby,said container is herein shown as having a dust-pan 135 arranged beneaththe lower shaft 87 of the conveyor means and this pan is connected bymeans of a pipe 136 with the main blower pipe 30 so that a suction willbe created in the dust pan 135 and thus remove all dust or dirt whichmay collect therein.

In the foregoing description the words wires and rods have been usedindiscriminately in describing the work and it is distinctly to beunderstood that neither word is used in a limiting sense and that the machine is capable of operating upon work which may reasonably fall withinthe scope of the word wires 01' that which might be more accuratelydescribed as rods, there being a wide variation in the diameter of thework 'which may be operated upon by the machine embodying thisinvention. Furthermore either round, hexagonal, square, or numerousother polygonal shapes of rods may be handled by said machine, as wellas short, medium or long rods.

Vhile I have herein shown and described merely for illustrativepurposes, a specific embodiment of my invention and have disclosed anddiscussed in detail the construction and arrangement incidental to suchdisclosure, it is distinctly to be understood that the invention islimited neither to the more details or relativearrangement or parts norto the specific application herein shown but extensive variations fromthe illustrations may be made without departing from the n-inciplesthereof.

Claims:

1. A rod grinding machine comprising, in combination, a grinder, meansincluding independently adjustable saddles and cooperating feed wheelsto roll the ends of said rods transversely of the face of said grinder,means to contain a mass of rods, and means to feed said rods from themass simultaneously to said saddles.

2. A rod grinding machine comprising, in combination, a grinder, meansto roll said rods transversely of the face of said grinder, a rodcontainer, means in said container to even the ends of the rods that areto be ground, and means to convey said rods from said container to saidgrinder.

3. In combination, a grinder, means to feed rods transversely of theface of said grinder, a rod mass container, and means to separate rodsfrom the mass and present them to said rod-feeding means, saidseparating means including a series of endless toothed conveyors.

4:. In combination, a grinder, means to feed rods transversely of theface of said grinder, a rod mass container, means to separate rods fromthe mass and present them to said rod-feeding means, said separatingmeans including a series of endless toothed conveyors, and guide fingersinterspaced with said conveyors.

5. In combination, a grinder, means to feed the work into contact withsaid grinder including upwardly inclined toothed conveyors, means toseparate the work from a mass, and means including an upwardly andinwardly inclined guide adapted to cooperate with said toothed conveyorsin depressing and aligning the ends of the work that are to be ground.

6. In combination, a grinder, means to feed the work into contact withsaid grinder, a series of spaced toothed conveyors to convey the workfrom a mass to the work-feeding member, guide fingers arranged betweensaid conveyors to maintain the work in a single layer as it approachesthe feeding means, and means on said fingers to retard the advancementof said work.

7. In combination, .a grinding wheel, means to roll rods along apredetermined angular path to said grinding wheel, means to separate therods from a mass and advance them in single layer formation to said rodrolling means, including toothed conveyor means, and a wiper mounted inyielding relation to said conveyor to remove superfluous rods from saidconveyor.

8. In combination. a grinding wheel, means to roll rods along apredetermined angular path to said grinding wheel, con-- veyor means forseparating rods from a mass and advancing them to the rod rolling means,and a resilient wiper to cooperate with said conveyor means to removesuperfluous rods therefrom.

f). In combination, a grinder, means to roll rods transversely of and ata predetermined angle to said grinder, means to sepa rate the rods of amass into a single layer formation for rolling, said means includingconveyors having teeth to support the rods substantially throughouttheir length and advance them to the rolling means, and a plurality ofsets of guide fingers between said conveyors and the rod rolling meansto guide said rods from one to the other, one linger 0 1 each set beingremovable to provide access to the rods therebe twen.

10. in a Wire or rod point ng machine, the combination with meansfeeding the wires or rods to the Work nreinher, means to separate saidWires or rods ii-em a inass, means te acvance said Wires or rods to thefeed :rg 'i'n'e'ans, and means to remove sl'a ck from said wins or rods.7

11. The combination W h a 'l or n her at inc-ans to advance W" i nsi-ngle layer formation )111 a ]1l2i-S$l O' said forming inen-iher inadirection transverse to the median a a; to maintain said Wires inparallel re-ration and in said single layer formation, said latterniean's inchrd i ng tr g, iide in'eni b'er along which s'ai l Wires areadvanced and a series of spaced fingers to engage the upper face of tl elayer, a plurality of the fingers at one end of said series beinginclinedwvith respet to the remaining fingers of the series to removethe slal; from said Wire's dn ri the -adi=an' :e ino v'einen t thereof.

- The combination with a forming in'einher or n i'ea is to advance Wiresin single layer format-ion to said forrn' ineinher, and means tomaintain said Wires in parallel relation and in said sin'rge layer forti'on, said latter means including a guide niein'her along which saidwires are adced and a series oi spacedfingers to engage the upper ace ofthe layer, a plurality of" the hinge "s e'i'igagi n-g the portions-oithe wires a fa: to the ends that are to he 'groninl being disposedarallel with the direction o'l movement of said \vii'es, the

r ng inemreinain i iii is of the so -'-heing inclined t'h li to iemovethe slack the z'rd'vaiicin-g move- =r of a plurality oi? saddles toguide wires across the cc of said "writ-torn my to roll the wires alongthe g r ie surfaces of said saddles, a1 means automatically to separatethe wires from a nrass and cause them sinn'il't'anernisly to egage thereceiving ends est said saddles.

ii. The coin] nation with a woi'h-iornr incniher o l lea a to feed wirestra nso'l their length across the face oi d \rorx n ember, moansautomatic-ally to ling separate will-cs iron-1 a inass andfadvancell1(;"-l in sing laf-ter icorinatron 'a-i n'l 111 a ll directiontransverse to their length to the said separating and ad meansincluding" parallel upper lovfer gnide ineinbers, and means to "also andlow or said ripper lnei'nb'ers with respect to said lower members.

15. The combination with a Work-forniing neinher oiin'eans to feed Wirestransli-nes of said wires, means nienih'er, le'cd wheels r'especverse'ly of their length ao'oss the face of.

said WO-ll member, ineans automatically to "direction transverse totheir length to the wire feeding means, said separating and advancingmeans including parallel upper-and lower spa-Iced guide inenihers, meansto vary the Width of the "spaces between said nide inelnloer s toaccommodate wires of difl e'rent sizes and means ho'dily to remove saidripper guide niei'i ihers r 'n th' guiding positions.

16. The; coin in ation with a WOI'ii-fOlhling ineinber, o l means toengage Wire's at a 9-1-111 y of spaced points and to roll said wirestransversely of the face of said work- 'forniing" ineinher, and ineal-isto separate Wires from a mass and advance them in single layer formationsimultaneously to said roiling mean 1 y 17. The combination with awork-fornii' 8 member, of means to engage WllES at a plurality of spacedpoints and to roll said Wires transversely of the face 01" saidWorkforining member, and rneans to separate Wires from mass and advancethem in single layer formation siinidtaneonsly to sa ic to =ei'igage theupper and lower faces of sa-i d layer "of wires and detents arranged atspaced points lengthwise of said wires to retard the advance movement ofsaid Wires.

18. The coinl-rination with a .s'Olli-fOiiili'nem-her, of means to feedivi s in a direction transverse to their length, into en- 'einent withsaid worl'c fo-rnnng ineniher, toothed conveyors to separate wires froma iii-ass and strimaing lingers to strip said wires from said conveyorsand to guide them to the 'ivir'e-reedi'ng means.

19. The coin'hination with a rod grinding member, 01. means to feed rodsin a direction transverse to their length across the taco of said rod*ind'i member, a rod mass container having guiding means for the rodsinclined downwardly toward the ends to he ground of the rods to c'ii ectthe evening of said ends, and means antoinaticall separate rods from themass and to advance them to said rod-feeding means.

20. The c(', inl inali n with a rod grinding ineinher, (if means to feedrods in a direction trz'u'is'vers'e to their length across the "face ofsaid rod grinding member, a rod mass container having guiding means forthe rods inclined don'n.\"al'dsly toi'vard 'lhe ends to he 'oun'd oftherods to 'oiie -t the evening of id ends, said container also having aninci-i ned Wall adjacent the lower end thereof to even th'ecnds of saidrods, and means to se p' rate rods froni'the mass in said'c'ontainer andto advance them in single layer ti'on to said rod feeding means;

A red grinding machine con in combination, grind- Wheel, to

feed rods'in a direction transverse to their length across the face ofsaid grinding wheel, means automatically to separate rods from a massand to advance them in single layer formation to said rod feeding means,and means to remove ground rods from said machine.

22. A rod grinding machine comprising, in combination, a grinding wheel,means to feed rods in a direction transverse to their length across theface of said grinding wheel, means automatically to separate rods layerformation to said rod feeding means,

and means to remove rods that have been ground from said machine insingle layer formation and to maintaln said rods in 1 parallel relationduring the removal'thereof,

said rod removing means including a plurality of spaced endlessconveyors having lugs upon the rod engaging faces thereof to engage andadvance said rods, and means to engage the upper sides of said rods'tomaintain them in'contact with said lugs;

24. In combination, a work member, means to feed work to said workmember including a series of separated toothed conveyors, a work masscontainer having an adjustable bottom arranged to incline downwardlytoward said conveyors, and a series of fingers secured'to the lower edgeof said adjustable bottom within the spaces between said conveyors, saidfingers being movable with said bottom and adapted to determine theprojection of the teeth of said conveyors into the work mass.

25. In combination, a work member, means to feed work to said workmember including a series of separated toothed conveyors, a work masscontainer having an adjustable bottom arran ed to incline down-.vardlytoward said conveyors, and a series of lingers secured to theIOWOIPCtlgB of said ad ustable bottom within the spaces between I saidconveyors, said lingers being movable with and relatively to said bottomand adapted to determine the projection of the teeth of said conveyorsinto the work mass; 26. In combination, a work member,

*liiGLllSlO feed work to said'work'inember iincluding a series ofseparated tootned conveyors, a work mass container having a pivotal workguiding member inclined downwardly toward said conveyors, means tosecure said guide member in predetermined angular positions, and aseries of fingers secured to said guide member to move with andrelatively thereto, said fingers constituting stops for the work mass.

27. A rod grinding machine comprising,

in combination, a grinder, means to feed work to said grinder, meansincluding a series of 'toothecl'conveyors to remove work from saidgrinder, and means to guide the work from the grinder to said conveyorsincluding sets offcooperating relativelymovable guide members.

' 28. A rod grinding machine comprising, in combination, a grinder,means to feed Work to said grinder, and means including a series ofspaced toothed conveyors to remove the work from said grinder, saidconveyors being arranged relatively nearer together adjacent to theground ends of the work.

29. In combination, a work member, means to feed work in single layerformation to said work member, a guide member along which the work maybe fed, guide fingers arranged above said guide member, and meanspivoted upon said guide fingers with their free ends ext-endingforwardly into engagement with the work toretard the advance of saidwork.

30. A rod grinding machine comprising, in combination, a grinder, meansto feed rods past and in contact with said grinder, a guide arranged atthe delivery end of said feeding means, toothed conveyors to remove rodsfrom said guide, and guide fingers arranged to guide rods from saidfeeding means upon and along said guide into engagement with the teethof said conveyors.

31. A red grinding machine comprising, in combination, a grinder, meansto feed rods past and in contact with said grinder, a"guidc arranged atthe delivery end of said feeding means, toothed conveyors to remove rodsfrem said guide, guide fingers arranged to guide rods from said feedingmeans upon and along said guide into engagement with the teeth of saidconveyors, and means to raise said guide fingers to provide access tothe work.

32. In combination, a work member, means to feed the work to said workmember including a toothed conveyor, an adjustable work inass supportinclining toward said conveyor and guides adjustably arranged withrespect to said work mass support to determine the projection of theteeth of said conveyor into the work mass.

33. In combination, a work member, a work mass container, means to feedthe work in substantially parallel relation from said work masscontainer to said work member including an endless toothed conveyor forengaging and advancing the ends of the work that are to be operated upona Work mass support to guide said work to said conveyor with the workends thereof in proper alignment and spaced members at the rear of saidwork mass support to vary the extent of projection of theteeth of saidconveyor into said mass.

34. A rod pointing machine comprising, in combination, a grinder, meansto engage rods at a plurality of spaced points in their length andadvance them in parallel relation to said grinder and means including arearwardly and laterally inclined support to guide said rods to said rodadvancing means with the work ends in alignment.

A rod grinding machine comprising, in combination, a grinder, means toroll the rods transversely of and in contact with the face of saidgrinder, means to present said rods to said rolling means in singlelayer formation and separate means to remove ground rods from saidmachine without changing their formation.

36. In a grinding machine, rod feeding means including at least oneupwardly inclined toothed conveyor, a rod support arranged to inclinedownwardly from its receiving end toward said feeding means inincreasing degrees as it approaches said feeding means, and means tovary the projection of the teeth of said conveyor into the mass of rodson said support.

3?. In a grinding machine, rod feeding means including at least oneupwardly inclined toothed conveyor, a rod support arranged to inclinedownwardly toward said toothed conveyor and laterally toward the end ofthe work to be ground and an inclined guide at the lower side of saidsupport to even the ends to be ground of said rods as they approach saidfeeding means.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification.

JONATHAN A. HUNT.

